How to Crochet: Part One

Previously, we worked with Wink to bring you a three-part series on how to crochet. In tribute to her wonderful talent and to encourage more people into picking up their hooks, we’re going to re-release these brilliant posts over the next few weeks and we hope you’ll be able to see why she was such an inspiration to us and crocheters everywhere!

Hi everyone and welcome to crochet for beginners! In the following blog posts I will teach you the most basic stitches used in crochet. At the end of the series, you’ll be able to make your own cup cozy!

A lot of crochet projects begin with creating a slip knot on your hook. This is a very basic technique, and it’s very easy to do!

To create a slip knot, simply make a loop with your yarn at the top of the yarn end. Create a smaller loop below the first loop, and pull it through the bigger loop. Pull on the yarn end to tighten it a little and to form the slip knot, and insert your needle. Pull the loop tighter when it’s around your needle, but make sure it’s not too tight.

Now that you have a slip knot on your hook, let’s make a starting chain. This is the place where we will work our stitches into.

To make a chain, wrap your yarn around your hook once. This is called yarn over. Using your hook, pull the yarn through the slip knot you just made on your hook. This is a chain. To continue, yarn over again and pull the yarn through the loop already on your hook. Keep going like this to make your starting chain.

The first stitch you’ll learn how to make is the double crochet stitch (US single crochet).

To work into the chain, insert your needle into the second chain from your hook. Insert it into the top loop. Yarn over, and pull through the chain. You now have 2 loops on your hook. Yarn over again, and pull through both loops on your hook. And that’s it; you’ve made a double crochet stitch! Keep working double crochet stitches into your chain until you’re at the end of the chain. We are now going to turn our work to continue our double crochet piece.

To turn your work, chain 1, and then turn your work around. You need the chain 1 to be able to work into the first stitch again.

When you have turned your work, take a closer look at the top of the stitches. We are now going to work into the ‘v’ shape you can see. Keep working double crochet stitches into each stitch, until you reach the end again. If you want to work another row, chain 1 again and turn your work. Work the stitches into the ‘v’ shapes.

And that’s it! In the next instalment, I will show you how to make half treble, treble, and double treble stitches. See you soon!xo, wink